Epidemic prone diseases remain to be serious public health threats to Mem- ber States in the African region. In response to these threats, Member States through the adoption and implementation of the Integrated Diseases Surveil- lance and Response Strategy and the International Health Regulations, con- tinue to strengthen their public health emergency response systems and struc- tures. In this issue, a summary of acute public health events that occurred dur- ing the course of 2014 is provided

Countries in Africa have been working on improving their preparedness in the event of an Ebola outbreak. The WHO teams have provided simulated exercises in hospitals and technical training, for immediate emergency response and communication.

Mamo Jatta is a Regional Public Health and Surveillance Officer in The Gambia and, like many people living near Ebola affected countries, he is concerned the disease will enter his own country, “I recently visited the town where I grew up and wondered what would happen if Ebola were to hit us here, would we be ready for it?”

In a letter dated 23 December 2013 ( S/2013/759 ), the President of the Security Council informed the Secretary-General of the Council’s concurrence with my recommendation to extend the mandate of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) until 31 December 2016, and requested that I report to the Council every six months on the implementation of the mandate.

There have been 19 497 reported cases of Ebola virus disease, with 7588 reported deaths.

Reported case incidence is fluctuating in Guinea and decreasing in Liberia.

There are signs that the increase in incidence has slowed in Sierra Leone, although the country’s west is now experiencing the most intense transmission in the affected countries. Response efforts have been strengthened to curb the spread of disease in the area.

As of 17 December 2014, there have been 18,569 confirmed, probable and suspected EVD cases in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and 6,900 deaths.Over 9.4 million children are living in the affected areas in these 3 countries. An estimated 3,492 children have been infected with Ebola, and a far greater number of children have lost one or both parents or caregivers in this crisis.

Experts in food security and agricultural production have addressed the issue

19 December 2014, Dakar, Senegal – In addition to the health consequences in West Africa, the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak has also led to various economic and social disruptions in affected and neighbouring countries.